Even though they reach a limited audience, 2013 has been the year for Syfy films. With it's original name, Sci-fi, it's was a channel in the beginning that brought us reruns of old films and some original films that didn't really have an audience. As time went on, the channel delivered some popular tv shows including Ghost Hunter and also cult shows like Mystery Science Theater 3000 and Firefly. In 2010, it made a drastic change when it broadcasted WWE Smackdown drawing in the wrestling audience. Through the power of social media including twitter in 2013, it's original film Sharknado was a major hit that brought much more attention to the channel. Because of the Sharknado hit, their films are finding more of a audience. These films are very strange and all over the spectrum including Aladdin and the Death Lamp, Ghost Shark and Flying Monkeys. Ragin' Cajun Redneck Gators is another film to add to this strange collection.
Ragin' Cajun Redneck Gators is set in the swaps of Louisiana where a Cajun redneck community finds themselves getting attacked by strange killer gators. These gators are far from typical, quite dangerous and more than what they seem.
Like Sharknado and Ghost Shark, there is a definite lack of budget but an extra effort by the filmmakers to make this work is evident. There are Cajun rednecks that are funny and kind of realistic, mutant gators, and a Romeo and Juliet love story involving feuding families. It's all a unique and interesting combination.
Unlike the Ghost Shark and Shakando, we don't care much about these characters. Attractive lead character, Jordan Hinson plays Avery from one of the feuding families but nothing memorable really comes from her performance. Her love interest, Tristan (Victor Webster) is a character who is frankly limited and who we don't really root for even though he is in danger from the gators throughout. The only positive person who steals the show is Michael Baird who plays Avery's father Dale. He has an excellent Cajun accent and is a charismatic "life of the party" kind of character who kind of steals the show.
For what it is trying to be, Ragin' Cajun Redneck Gators should have been better. It has a good original idea and tries to go with it but falls a little flat because I think it tries to do much. Because of that, I think it is probably the weakest Syfy films of 2013.
3/5
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